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How important are graphics to you?
Emergence
Member Posts: 888
I am curious as to how important graphics are to you as a consumer.
Let's say the game is good, but not great. Let's say you think it is a 7/10 or an 8/10.
This hypothetical is to help us dismiss the obvious that if the game is AMAZING in gameplay and fun (9/10 or 10/10) the graphics don't matter at all. Fun games are fun.
So let's shoot a hypothetical that it is a fun game, but not the funnest. It is a good game, but not the greatest. Above average, which IMO is average for a game one would play. People don't tend to play mediocre games, but people rarely find a game that is "simply amazing!"
Of the various MMORPG's, what is acceptable or unacceptable graphics?
Besides the lack of environmental detail (no barrels, baskets of food, magical effects, etc.) how are these graphics compared to other 2D games? Is this acceptable if the game was at least somewhat fun with enjoyable gameplay? Or is this simply unacceptable?
http://emergencemmo.webs.com/possible%20in%20game%20graphics.jpg
If being a developer means being quiet, mature, well-spoken, and disconnected from the community, then by all means do me a favor and believe I'm not one.
Comments
I think type of game also comes into it, look at minecraft its graphics are poor but to me it suits the game type perfectly and works for me even though i only rate the game above average, i would also take a graphics hit on a diabloesque game too the fun is in the hack and slash not the look. Where as the neww Warhammer 40k mmo in development i wont be happy if the graphics are not dark gritty and fantastic. I prolly have made it more confusing for you but thats how my preference works for graphics
I have to admit that graphics are fairly important to me these days. For instance, I love the Baldurs Gate series, but find it difficult to play now in large part due to the aging graphics.
Playing: Rift, LotRO
Waiting on: GW2, BP
"All expectation leads to suffering" Buhhda
Graphics are VERY imprtant to me if i am comparing two identical games,example EQ2 and Wow.EQ2 is far superior in graphics,therefor there is no question as to what game developer put in more effort and deserves my money.I also on a small scale consider the developer,if say for example Wow was made by a small indie developer ,i would cut them a bit of slack as we do need indie develoeprs to help push the big name devs.
If graphics are identical example Wow and FFXI,then i go for the better game as to which there was no comparison,FFXI offered me a complete game,with no real emphasis on worrying about end game or Raiding instances.Now a days it seems there is that same crowd in FFXI as well,really sad that the entire genre has been diminished to such a small scale ,players don't seem to want a real game,they want easy mode,simplicity,and easy access to the games best items for bragging purposes.
So although graphics do matter,i want it all and i think EVERYONE should expect it all.I do not want to play some gimmick or niche idea,i want to play a role playing game that plays out like a real role playing game.If a game wants to utilize levels as an aging tool,example 1 year equals one level,i am cool with that,but instead developers are feeding us garbage levels driven by garbage quests,they have no meaning what so ever in a role playing game.
The only meaning levels and quests have in these games are to show how much time someone has spent on the game,really pathetic game design.It is because of this poor game design that i put a lot of emphasis on graphics and physics,i could put that aside if i got a real good game design,but that doesn't seem to be happening anytime soon.
Never forget 3 mile Island and never trust a government official or company spokesman.
i found, that Business Scientists have been right, when they published the theory of motivation in the late 50s. there are two groups: motivation factors, which you trend to maximize and demotivation factors which just need a satisfying level to not piss you off. you dont need and you are not willing to optimize them. graphics for me is such a demotivation factor. if the graphisc of a game is good, this is fine for me. if its very good, this is still just good. of course it is stunning and amazing at the 1st look, but after time its just as good for my motivation as the other graphics which is definately worse looking.
so i was stunned when i saw FFXIV. but thats no reason to play this game. i was amazed about the game mechanics of the sandbox game Worm Online, but the graphics was not sufficient for me. the graphics in e.g. Fallen Earth is pretty close to what i am willing to tolerate.
this border is different depending on graphic style. there has to be a lot of superior gamemechanic, that i am willing to tolerate a pure manga comic-style. on the other hand wow-graphics is fully sufficient for me. i dont play it, because the game itself sucks. i also have different preferences, if it comes to asia style versus western style. i am much more tolerant if it comes to the western realistic style. next thing are colors. if its tawdry i am out. and so on .... graphics is more complex as you may think.
after 6 years of playing EQ1 and 3 years of EVE i am looking now since 2 years for a new game. but all i found, and i most propably checked them all, was crap from my point of view. so i asked myself, what are the criteria, that i dont like them. analyzing myself, i found, that it needs just a few things which piss me off and i quit. even tons of motivating great features cant compensate a few demotivating factors. so i am focussing now more on what do i dislike and not, whats great with this game. i learned that longterm you cant stop these demotivation factors. graphics is one of them, it has to fullfill at least my personal satisfying level. if not, it doesnt make sense to check it out. it never could become my game.
the good news is, i would say, that my satisfying level of graphics is pretty low. the bad news is: this level is increasing over time. it might be, that in 10 years from now, i would not accept games based on the CryEngine 2 anymore, which are even not launched today as MMOs.
played: Everquest I (6 years), EVE (3 years)
months: EQII, Vanguard, Siedler Online, SWTOR, Guild Wars 2
weeks: WoW, Shaiya, Darkfall, Florensia, Entropia, Aion, Lotro, Fallen Earth, Uncharted Waters
days: DDO, RoM, FFXIV, STO, Atlantica, PotBS, Maestia, WAR, AoC, Gods&Heroes, Cultures, RIFT, Forsaken World, Allodds
Both gameplay and graphics play important parts in my opinion. But If I have to choose one over the other i´d go with gameplay at about 60-40. The jpg you linked is too ugly for me and I cannot see myself playing it no matter what gameplay that laid underneath though.
All statements I make is from my point of view unless stated otherwise.
Curse me I love graphics. I am an idiot actually I watch game trailers and then make plans to buy the game. I bought Stracraft II based on the awesome trailer and never even tried a RTS before that but I absolutely fell in love with it and ended up playing Dawn of War series. Sad huh ? What to do I am one of those suckers but I also recently fired up Diablo II and played it. Yes graphics very dated but I played these games and going back to them is not easy after playing other games with better graphics and I have dropped games because it was boring and the graphics bad.
I remember going back to Everquest after playing FFXI , Anarchy Online and Dark Age of Camelot. The graphics looked blocky but my fond memories sustained me for awhile. I think graphics need to be good not mind blowing or absolutely cutting edge but it has to be at par with the current games for a game to be interesting to me but I would still play if the game has other qualities like fantastic game play if the graphics are not Baldur's gate type graphics. Some minimum threshold graphics i.e. current game quality and good game play is my litmus.
If graphics didn't matter the cost production of games wouldn't sky rocket. It costs millions to make a game today and that's because the landscape and characters need to be polished and more detailed.
Video games are more than just games. It's about adventure in a fantasy world and how does this world looks it's very important to the immersion.
If you look at past great games they had both the gameplay and graphics for its time. Halo, great multiplayer with outstanding graphics. Gran turismo, Mgs, FF, modern warfare and so on. They all had both and didn't choose between one over the other.
Graphics should always take a backseat to gameplay, but that doesn't mean that they don't factor in to the enjoyment that a player gets from a game. In the 70's and 80's, you could get away with minimal graphics, because the important thing was to get the gameplay right. Additionally, game development was handled by a much smaller team, and there just wasn't enough time in the day to get it all squeezed in. And much of the technology we have available today didn't exist then.
Those excuses no longer exist. Today, if a game releases with sub-standard graphics, then it had better be a game produced by a one- or two-man operation. Any professional game development company that releases a game with poor graphics is lazy, in my opinion.
As an example, let's compare 2 popular titles:
World of Warcraft: WoW has always taken a hit for its stylized, almost cartoony graphics. Yet, when you take a close look, there is a lot of detail in there. If you walk into an inn in Stormwind, you're going to see graphics details like tables with tankards and plates scattered around, brooms and mops leaning agains the wall, a wash bucket in the corner on the floor, etc. They took the time to make each environment look lived in. The graphics aren't photo-realistic, but they still look professionally done. More importantly, a player is left with the feeling that the developer actually cared.
Aion: Aion has beautiful graphics, until you start looking closely. Walk into any building in the world. If you see anything besides an NPC standing behind a counter, then you've managed to find one of the few buildings where they actually took the time to add some detail. there are many buildings in the world that are completely empty, with the exception of the NPC that you're being sent to talk to. I'm sorry, but when I walk into a temple, I expect to see a few worshipers, some candles, or whatever floats your boat. But a single person standing at the front of a completely empty building does not a temple make.
You'll note that the above games were released 5 years apart. WoW can be excused for its cartoony graphics (one of the prices Blizzard paid for increased accessibility to the game). Blizzard still took the time to make certain that the world really felt... real. Aion, on the other hand, looks like the developers tried to get it pushed out the door as quickly as possible. While each building in WoW looks like it was lovingly hand-crafted by somebody who actually gave a damn, the buildings in Aion look like they were drag-and-dropped from some second-rate graphics program.
The above is my opinion, and is based on my observations and personal experiences. YMMV.
tl;dr - Graphics play an important part in a player's overall enjoyment of a game, and there is no excuse for a current (professional) developer to have sub-standard graphics.
The trees and shrubbery in WoW make me gag. Ground, rocks, etc - fine. Trees, grass, bushes, etc... are beyond pathetic. They are not even low poly monstrosities - they are simply flat criss crossed objects. While they might look okay from a distance... it is like seeing a spot on a tie.
I miss the MMORPG genre. Will a developer ever make one again?
Explorer: 87%, Killer: 67%, Achiever: 27%, Socializer: 20%
I felt the same way about the lack of footprints in the snow when it came to playing LOTRO. That, and the fact that you couldn't swim beneath the surface of any body of water. (Wasn't the One Ring found at the bottom of a lake?) Otherwise, I had no problem with the graphics. But those two things (among other non-graphical issues) ruined the immersion for me.
It comes down to personal preference and tolerance levels. If you don't like a game to begin with, then nothing about the graphics is going to sway you one way or another. If, however, you like a game, then all it may take is a minor "glitch" or an obvious lack of attention to detail that may turn you off. It all relates to the OP's question: How important are graphics to you?
Why is it too ugly?
What is it missing?
Why is it unplayable?
If being a developer means being quiet, mature, well-spoken, and disconnected from the community, then by all means do me a favor and believe I'm not one.
The graphic presentation is a massive chunk of what will get me to check out a game. "Good" graphics are subjective some times though and in 2010 there is no excuse for at least high reselution. Grpahics dont have to be highly detailed but if not they need to make up for that with artistic flair. Some of the Xbox live/ playstation store games are not graphic power house games but look good because of the style. (Floe for example) these games are really not games you wil play for more that short periods.
If im going to sit and play a game for more than 30 hours there better be something in the game that makes me stop and just take in the view.
It depends on the game. On rogue-likes and MUDs, less graphics is more (and no graphics is best).
On graphical games, better graphics are - better.
Poor graphics are only acceptable in old-time classics.
"The person who experiences greatness must have a feeling for the myth he is in."
For me they are make or break. They don't overrule gameplay, but they are equally important. I mostly skipped WOW many years ago because I hated the way the characters looked.
People don't ask questions to get answers - they ask questions to show how smart they are. - Dogbert
I suppose that is what it is about the trees. While it is difficult to deny the overall cartoony feel of the WoW graphics, there are a lot of things that are done extremely well within the style. Though not my favorite style, overall it is hard to say for the most part they are done well. The new water is pretty lush.
There are three things that I have to try to ignore though. The flora thing obviously, how poorly certain pieces of gear/etc mesh (the ponytail on my Gnome warrior sticks out through her shield), and how certain things are - well, actually, I guess that would go back to the trees...
...the trees themselves are fine - it is the leaves. Have you ever noticed on a gryphon how well done the wings are - yet the paws lack any curves at all? They are straight line and hard edges.
It is funny mentioning LOTRO. A mix of the graphics between LOTRO and WoW would be pretty damn nifty.
Do I want CGI quality graphics? Hell yes. Do not have the bandwidth nor the hardware to handle that... so the bar gets set lower.
I grew up playing games on an Atari 2600, Vic 20, C64, Apple IIe, original PCs, NES, Sega, Intellivision, etc... so I have played with some pretty bad graphics and had a blast - but as the technology moved forward, so too did the acceptance of what was a blast.
Give us what can be done, eh?
I miss the MMORPG genre. Will a developer ever make one again?
Explorer: 87%, Killer: 67%, Achiever: 27%, Socializer: 20%
Not very. I'm more concerned with customization. Games that allow me to do my character's makeup and adjust her facial features are higher on my lists than games that just have 4 faces to choose from.
~Miles "Tails" Prower out! Catch me if you can!
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I grew up in the 8 bit era. Graphics don't mean crap vs gameplay to me. Now there are certain things like mixing sprites with 3D that make me cringe away from a game akin to original doom. But it's pretty damn rare these days. Street Fighter 4 for example, I would have prefered as sprites, but I'll still play it. It's probably because I grew up with fighting games being sprites, so I prefer sprites for them.
Graphics mean very little to me. Since I cut my teeth on text-based MUDs, graphics are entirely meaningless, I want an excellent game experience, a great community and an entertaining time spent playing long before I care a bit about the eye-candy.
Played: UO, EQ, WoW, DDO, SWG, AO, CoH, EvE, TR, AoC, GW, GA, Aion, Allods, lots more
Relatively Recently (Re)Played: HL2 (all), Halo (PC, all), Batman:AA; AC, ME, BS, DA, FO3, DS, Doom (all), LFD1&2, KOTOR, Portal 1&2, Blink, Elder Scrolls (all), lots more
Now Playing: None
Hope: None
You could say that game play and "scope" have suffered as graphics have sky rocketed. The only exception I can think of here is FPS. Every other genre seems to sacrifice to stay in the graphical arms race.
sums it up perfectly
The game better be damn fun and engage me from the minute I start if it has bad graphics. If it's graphically beautiful, I'm much more willing to give it time to see if I'm enjoying myself.
Of course, I did play RuneScape before the graphical updates, but I was 12. I wasn[object Window]t a graphics whore then!
Graphics ? Meh.
I just recently had a huge blast playing good old Vampire: The Masquerade: Bloodlines. Which has nice, but not uber graphics.
Well, I like:
- Ability to design your character in great detail
- Beautiful characters
- Ability to handle many characters on the screen at the same time
- Long viewing distances
- Good graphic performance
What I dont care about:
- Day/Night cycles
- Shadows
- Realism. Give me idealized characters, thats OK.
What I really hate / find intolerable:
- WoW comic style. Give me realistic or give me Manga/beautiful, but dont torture me with plain ugly.
Which is quite ironic because the graphics of Baldurs Gate are near perfect beautiful, better than most games today, even if some 3D games (The Witcher) finally managed to get close. The only thing that is "aged" is the fixed isometric perspective thanks to 2D.